


Along the Shopping District

by goodfairyofny, Ikasury, JudasComplex, KawaiiBoushi, Neon_Zephyr, pyrrhickong, StormWildcat, WishStone



Series: KanNao Collaborations [1]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: Collaboration, Evolving Tags, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Inaba Ships It, Rise Fixes Things, literally even the fox ships it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-07 14:23:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11060838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodfairyofny/pseuds/goodfairyofny, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ikasury/pseuds/Ikasury, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JudasComplex/pseuds/JudasComplex, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiBoushi/pseuds/KawaiiBoushi, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neon_Zephyr/pseuds/Neon_Zephyr, https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyrrhickong/pseuds/pyrrhickong, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormWildcat/pseuds/StormWildcat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishStone/pseuds/WishStone
Summary: Inaba's lovely central shopping district is entwined in both historic traditions of the town, and the modern processes of living in the twenty-first century. Between the Tatsuhime Shrine and the traditional stores such as Tatsumi Textiles and Konishi Liquors; now you will also find the Moel gas station or a quaint little hobby stores here.It is the true heart of Inaba, if you ask some; and an outdated snore of a place if you ask others. No matter how you look at it, however, fascinating stories take place around here.Let's watch what Kanji and Naoto are up to...





	1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone!

The coming chapters will be written and added by various authors who enjoy the Kanji/Naoto ship in Persona 4.

Right now, we are a group of five authors who have posted a number of other fics, many of which already under this pairing. The goal of this piece here is to showcase each writer's own style and ideas given one central topic. Each author will write a stand-alone piece in their own chapter. The one thing we will avoid here is the mature and explicit ratings, as we realise not everyone is comfortable with such topics and we would love for every author to be read in this collection.

 

The topic picked for this experiment is: 'Along the Shopping District', as it will give everyone a nice open field to play with.

Please note that this group did not set a time limit on when to submit any works too; so it could be a while before you see the author you wanted to read - sorry! I suggest you bookmark this page and stop by when you get a notification of a new chapter. 

 

Thank you and I hope you'll have as much fun reading as we will have writing!


	2. Frustrating or 'All along the Shipping District'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naoto and Kanji go for a walk along the Shopping District for some mundane task... completely oblivious to what it does to the rest of Inaba.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hrm~ 
> 
> Well, i'm first! hahahahhahahahaaha!! 
> 
> Dunno what else to say, enjoy the... angst? >.>
> 
> -Ikasury

Along the Shopping District…

… Naoto Shirogane and Kanji Tatsumi were walking down the street.

No, this was not an uncommon sight. At least recently.

It had been several years since the bizarre incident that had brought the former Detective Prince to Inaba and since she’d become practically a member of the small town. At least, when she was around.

First a yearlong investigation half way through her second year, then she came back and finished her formal high school education.

Then off again to America for a few months, only to return to Inaba for another month.

Then off to Europe for some case, back here for about three months.

And so on and so forth the pattern went. She’d be gone on some case for nearly twice the length she’d spend back in Inaba, and even then she’d be traveling around Japan or consulting other cases.

To an average outsider this would be a sign the young woman was making her mark on the world as a famous and reliable detective. A **_rare_** _Female_ Detective! The town should be proud she came back and graced their presence.

For the permanent residence of Inaba it was a frustrating nightmare.

The former Detective Prince had certainly outlived her title, in fact some upstart in Tokyo had already laid claim to that title but the townsfolks paid it little mind. Naoto Shirogane was the only Detective Prince they recognized, even if her reference as a ‘prince’ had long outlived its validity.

She’d grown into a stunning woman, still the shortest among her group of close friends, but it was definitely obvious she was a woman. As the Idol turned singer/actress Rise Kujikawa put it ‘She’s a bombshell wrapped up in a stylish pantsuit’. Said pantsuits were provided by Tatsumi Textiles, one of the reasons the female Detective returned frequently to the quant rural town… much to the groans of its inhabitants.

See, small towns had a very basic way of functioning: planting started as early as you could and lasted as long as you could stretch it, and gossip was the town’s lifeblood.

Everyone knew everyone and that meant they all knew each other’s business.

Many of the older generation didn’t understand the kids fixation with Televisions and their soap opera anime when all they had to do was sit out on the porch of a small town like Inaba and it was clear as day this was a far better entertainment.

The Junes heir got his butt kicked by the girl from the cop Academy.

The Amagi Inn was hosting a local celebrity.

There was an animal attack in the woods nearby.

The Junes Mascot was found wondering around town eating at every shop in the Shopping District.

The Chief of Police’s nephew came back and was seen being picked up, literally, by the new weather woman.

Things like this were common in small towns. And where there was gossip there was the speculation on who was dating who.

It was clear the weather girl and the chief’s nephew had a thing, people weren’t surprised there.

The former idol that came back when she wasn’t on tour or on set was clearly available and everyone and their grandfather’s would try when she was around, no matter how sweetly she turned them down.

The Amagi Inn’s new manager was a sight to see and every man worth his breath had tried the Amagi challenge… there have been no victors so far.

And even that silly foreign boy that showed up occasionally in the Junes mascot costume had gotten a few dates… though rumor was those ended ‘weirdly’ for one reason or another, usually involving food.

Now what did the rumor mill have to do with the _infamous_ former Detective Prince?

Well, everything… absolutely everything!

It had been obvious to anyone that spotted them, Naoto Shirogane and Kanji Tatsumi, that there was some definite chemistry there. Rumors were already spreading of the two talking the first time when everyone thought she was a boy. Oh those rumors spread like wildfire!

Then the big reveal happened and things quieted down for a bit. Then nearly dropped off when she left for over a year…

ONLY TO RETURN IN A FLATTERING PANTSUIT AND WITH LONG HAIR!!

Naoto Shirogane looked like a woman at 18 and the rumor mill was running wild again.

But there was an always present constant whenever she was in town; Kanji Tatsumi.

Whenever the young detective was in town it was assured she could be found in the presence of the local tailor-in-training.

The once lanky punk had grown a bit more, mostly in maturity and confidence, to become a handsome, successful young man. Gone was the bleached hair and nose piercing, though the earrings stayed and he gained some glasses. The young tailor-in-training had devoted himself to his family’s craft and even come out with new things such as stitched stuffed animals that had become a new selling point for the sleepy little town.

Now, he wasn’t raking in millions, but his additions and talent as a tailor, semester and overall doll-maker had garnered attention outside the town, especially when his friend; Singer/Actress Rise Kujikawa, had sported one of his keychains and fans were clamoring for a source, he’d become successful enough to ensure the future of Tatsumi Textiles.

So, what **_WERE_** a successful young Tailor and Detective doing always in each other’s company?

It couldn’t be simply a business transaction, though it was very apparent to the townspeople of Inaba that the young man did most if not all of the Detective’s professional attire. There was simply no way to find such flattering and well-fitting woman’s cut suits in a store, simply impossible. Plus the quality of Tatsumi Textiles was top notch, there was no way she’d need repeat fittings or repairs with one of their products.

Clearly, there must have been _another_ reason.

And as any native of Inaba would tell you; gossip was the town’s lifeblood, and Kanji Tatsumi was head-over-heels for Naoto Shirogane.

It was as assured as the sun rose in the east and set in the west, the young tailor was inexorably in love with the young detective.

The big question for nearly two years had been weather she felt the same…

Which had been clearly answered when the young detective had been seen rushing to the Tatsumi residence one morning. News later circulated that Mrs. Tatsumi had had a spill, needing to go to the hospital and young Kanji had been most distraught. Everyone gave their condolences…

… and notice suspiciously Naoto’s presence at the Tatsumi residence, when she had been listed as being on a case overseas for some time by the media.

Quite the odd coincidence or stretch for someone that _clearly_ only wanted to be friends.

The daily drama only increased from there.

Often when the two were in town walking side by side various eyes followed them, such as now, looking for any development in their arduously long courtship. Or at least everyone hoped it was courtship, because at this point it was so obvious the two were head over heels for each other the only ones that didn’t seem to know or couldn’t admit were each other.

This is where the true nightmare of a small town came in.

Everyone, EVERYONE… **_EVERY. ONE._** Knew! Knew the two liked each other and cared deeply enough to spend whatever time they could together, between her traveling and Tatsumi’s busy schedule, the two were lucky to get two weeks out of every two months. And they spent it generally side by side.

The obliviousness between the two had gotten to such a point the townsfolk were frustrated, wanting some kind of development to the local soap opera.

It had gotten to the point people started taking things into their own hands.

The not-quite-couple stops by Aiya? The owner offers the two his most cramped table, or a customer will spot them down the street and everyone will scramble to fit into seats that would force the two to sit next to one another at the bar or at a lone booth. The chefs had twice _accidentally_ spiked their drinks hoping for _SOMETHING_ to slip out.

Nothing worked, so far. It was considered that Kanji Tatsumi was exceptionally thick and Naoto Shirogane had on more than one occasion had a ‘quiet chat’ with the owners about conduct and labeling their drinks properly.

Stop by Souzai Daigaku? The owner would insist they stay and sit at one of the small two seater tables. Heck, they’d throw in some extra food, hoping the two would stick around and maybe _something_ would slip out. Anything, just ANYTHING!

So far not a shred of progress, though the young Detective gave them weird looks. Clearly she was too sharp for her own good.

Occasionally the two would stop by the hobby shop that had managed to reopen in the years since the murders, and the owner would offer the two a chance to look around at his latest products, knowing the young lady had a soft spot for the more mechanized ones. He took it as his personal duty to dig in every time they came by ‘My, what a fine couple you two make!’ it was a bit on the nose, but at this point the people of Inaba weren’t playing around with the densest couple known to man.

Naoto would be oblivious to the comment, looking at the models, and Kanji would turn a bit red and deny the claim. Again, and again, and again.

If they ever stopped by the medicine store the old lady behind the counter would make lewd comments and question if the two needed to see anything in the section behind the glass.

Again, Kanji would blush and Naoto would counter with how such _things_ were unrequired of them.

If the two stopped by Daidara’s shop he’d just give them this look… then mention something in flowery prose about men picking flowers. Subtly didn’t normally work from him but he’d give anything a try. The two had been part of the group that were his best customers, and Naoto _still_ had her guns checked out by him and occasionally brought him weird materials for new ones… but damn were these two dense.

Naoto would politely ignore his comments and Kanji wouldn’t get it. Subtlety was simply lost on them.

The one time the owner of Yomenaido Bookstore had ‘accidentally’ slipped the two a relationship book or ‘enhancer’ the two had simply blushed and the young detective had given back the ‘wrong’ book, suggesting they should look into getting help with their filing.

It was truly maddening.

At one point the Police Chief’s nephew had stopped by the Tatsuhime shrine to check on the Fox and she had literally dumped the entire towns worth of _Ema_ full of requests the Detective and Tailor just get together because the suspense was driving the town nuts.

Clearly this task required some help.

A certain kind of help only someone completely blunt, honest, and unforgiving could give.

\-----

“Hello~ Welcome to Marukyuu Tofu, how may I help you today?!” a bright and cheery voice the duo was not expecting greeted them.

“R-Rise-san!” Naoto shuffled back, surprised to see her friend as she was absolutely certain she had a movie shoot in Tokyo right now. Next to her, Kanji was also blinking.

The shop greeting smile dropped from the actress’ face as a genuine one lit up her bubbly face, “Naoto-kun!! Kanji-kun!!” in a second the apron clad woman was around the counter and hugging her two friends, “I didn’t expect to see you _both_!”

“L-likewise, Rise-san,” Naoto swallowed hard, trying to squirm out of her friend’s choking hug.

“Thought you was at some movie shoot for like, three months?” Kanji got out, not as threatened by the former Idol’s death grip around his waist.

Rise finally let go enough to smirk at the tall young man, “Hehe, well _technically_ I am,” she gave them both a conspirator’s wink, letting go and in a twirl leaning on the counter, “There was a hiccup in the script, the writers are arguing over a scene, so I’ve got two days off~” she patted the counter behind her, “figured I haven’t seen grandma in a while, so decided to help her out!” with a dramatic wipe of her brow, the bubbly maroon haired girl was back behind the counter, “Plus, this _totally_ beats standing around all day as guys with big stacks of papers get in catfights over whose better at doing a _romantic scene_ ,” she waved her hand, clearly finding the idea humorous.

The detective and tailor did a combination of blushing and cringing.

“So!” Rise clapped her hands, snapping the two out of their funk and giving them a wink, “What can I get ya?”

Naoto gave the former idol a wry smirk, “Honestly, nothing at the moment, I was merely accompanying Kanji-kun on an errand.”

“Oh-ho?” pointer finger on her chin, Rise turned sly eyes to the tall young man, “And what business do you. Have. Here~” she accented each ending word with a shake one way, acting more like a teenager then her clearly adult self.

“Tch,” Kanji just clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes before grabbing a package from under his arm and handing it to the temporary tofu dealer, “S’just some napkins Ma made that your granny ordered, figured I’d drop it off since we was close.”

“Aw, thanks,” Rise took the package with a genuine smile, stashing it under the counter for her grandmother later before popping back up and giving the two a creepy grin, “Soooooo…?”

“So what, Rise-san?” Naoto did not huff, though she did cross her arms under her chest and stared at her cheeky friend.

“Ufufufu,” Rise smirked like a cat, hiding her laugh behind her hand, “Any news I should hear about~” she opened one eye and glanced from the detective to the tailor and back several times, “Like any _developments_ I should know~?”

Naoto just kept her stern cobalt glare.

To which the former idol just chuckled at.

Kanji just gave a tired sigh, “C’mon Rise, you know the answer to that…”

“Of course **_I_** do,” her shift to winking at the large man was seamless, ignoring the ruffled look from the detective, “But you know, a _lot_ … and I mean **_A LOT_ ** of people don’t know,” that charming smirk turned to the young detective, “And you just know they’re _dying_ to know the final outcome!”

There was a deep groan from the long haired detective.

“Ey, now, Naoto,” Kanji tried to placate the young woman, “Ain’t nothin’ we gotta do, you know that…”

“I know,” the young woman frowned a moment, eyes closed with her arms crossed and thinking deeply on the best course of action. They had kept the facts of their relation vague at best, not simply for the sake of privacy but because Naoto _was_ something of an international detective now, she was afraid of causing undo attention to a small place like this, or Kanji, and worst of all bringing any kind of threat here.

Rise was leaning over the counter, giving her friend a reassuring smirk, “Everyone pretty much already knows, ya know~”

Naoto grumbled again, cobalt brow twitching, “I know.”

“Ain’t gotta do nothin’ big or fancy ya know,” Kanji assured her. He understood Naoto’s concerns about bringing their relationship public. They were legitimate concerns, but at the same time mostly just Naoto being herself. Even years later and tons of cases under her belt, she was still concerned about how the public saw and accepted who she was and her profession. He understood that completely, having to deal with it himself to a similar degree. It was why he supported whatever she decided.

But maybe even he wouldn’t mind at the very least holding her hand as they walked down the street…

“Very well,” Naoto said sternly, turning to face the exit to Marukyuu Tofu, holding out her hand.

It took Kanji a second to realize the significance of the gesture, but the second he did he had to stop himself from squealing. Dudes didn’t squeal, but it was nice to finally hold his girlfriend’s hand in public.

“Oh my, you two, such scandalous delinquents~” Rise spoke dryly, every word dripping with sarcasm. She got a glare from her detective friend for it, causing her to merely chuckle.

Now hopefully the town could stop obsessing over the two for a while.

\------

The second the young detective and tailor walked out of Marukyuu Tofu, **_HOLDING HANDS!!_ ** it seemed as if the entire town of Inaba shouted in unison: “ ** _FINALLY!!_** ” before going back to their daily business.

Naoto never felt so embarrassed in her life and wished she’d still had her hat from when she was a teenager to hide under.

Kanji was beaming, strutting as he held his girlfriend’s hand. This was a great development for him.

Who knew, maybe at this rate he’d get lucky and Naoto would wear their engagement ring publically before they got married!


	3. Destined

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried for fluff. I really did.
> 
> ...*coughs* This follows the T/L timeline, after Complete.

_Partners._

By the time they’d finally finished their work in the TV world, they were a perfect fighting team. They always knew where the other was, could sense what the other was about to do before it happened. They didn’t even need to look at each other anymore. It was flawless and effortless. One might think they’d known each other all their lives. No one would have guessed that it had only been a couple of months, and it didn’t always feel as effortless as it looked.

Slight breaths of hesitation, never enough to throw them off balance, but enough to get a glare from the shorter to the taller. Eyes darting away, a fraction of a second off from where it needed to be, only noticeable to someone who was watching. Just nerves. Nothing major.

_Friends._

Odd that this would come after, the quiet camaraderie as she found her way back into society, began to swim into the high school world in an attempt to finish school before going off and being as successful as everyone assumed she would be. Chocolates on Valentine’s, gifts on White Day, little tokens from day to day that reminded the other of their connection. First platonic, slowly shifting to something more, though neither had the words for it yet.

It terrified her, the concept of being filled with an emotion she had no control over. Everything in her life was carefully crafted and planned; every potential roadblock had two or three contingency routes. But this wasn’t something she could quantify or corral to her own will. It took her wherever it wanted to, often times making her act entirely irrationally...and somehow in those moments, she didn’t mind. His smile would make all the stress worth it...somehow...in the end.

It terrified him. No matter how certain anything seemed, each day was a constant worry that this would be the day she’d wake up and walk out. Realize that there was no place for someone like him in the life she would inevitably lead. Realize that he’d never be able to live up to her name, and would only ever serve to be a footnote in the biography of the brilliant detective. And yet every day, she managed to surprise him. Small smiles, hummingbird-fast kisses, a blush just peeking out from under the brim of a hat. He’d resigned himself long ago to the fact that her current was going to carry him wherever she went...and he wasn’t going to argue.

_Lovers._

It had taken them close to a year to get there, but they’d managed. They hadn’t intentionally made the arrangements for it to happen, but as they each looked back it seemed the logical progression. They weren’t an incredibly sexually active couple--not compared to _some_ of their friends--opting for more quiet intimacy, and if a night curled up together watching a fire led to something more...then they let it. Ever careful, ever watchful, knowing that a single mistake might jeopardize everything she’d been working for. _In the future, maybe_ , she’d said. _But not now. Neither of us are ready._ And he’d agreed. They had school, and university at least for her, and lives to establish. Anything more would come in time. They were young. They had all the time in the world.

Enjoying the intimacy had come as a bit of a surprise to her. Not that she somehow didn’t think she’d enjoy being around a man she’d come to care for a great deal, but more that she’d spent so much of her life playing her cards close to the chest, keeping everyone at an arm’s distance, that the moments of pure release she felt in his arms, just sitting there...it was indescribable. It was frightening and new and wonderful, and she wouldn’t have traded it for the world. She may not understand it, but she loved it.

Every second she gave to him was a miracle gift. He never took a moment for granted, because he knew how far she had to push to give them...he knew how far she’d come, and he knew how far she could slip if he gave her even the slightest inkling that he wasn’t receptive. Because he was--it wouldn’t matter what she wanted to give; he would take it in a heartbeat. Just a moment to hear her breathing, feel her heart beat against his chest, take in whatever that soft scent she always wore was and know that everything, for this moment, was going to be okay. He could see a thousand tomorrows in her eyes, and all he could do was pray she could see a few of them in his.

_Destined._

Now they walked hand in hand down the street from the shrine toward the bus stop, a single bag over her shoulder. Neither spoke a word as they passed the textile shop, the tofu shop, the diner, the bookstore… Just held tight to each other in silence, eyes watching the road before them.

No one spoke at first, afraid to break the silence. “How long?” he finally asked.

“At least a year. Maybe more.” She bit her lip, unable to look over at him.

“You’ll keep safe.”

She didn’t answer at first. “I’ll be as careful as possible.”

“Naoto…”

“I can’t promise anything, Kanji. I can’t predict the future. I know that this is a dangerous case, and I know that I am the best suited for it. It…” Her voice hitched. “Nothing is certain. But...I will be doing all I can to be safe.”

He fought to keep his hand from clenching on hers. “I don’t gotta like it. I don’t understand why it’s gotta be you.”

“For once, my sex plays in my favor, along with my age. I am the only one in the force who could make this work.” She brought his hand up to her lips, pressing a soft kiss against the back of it. “I will do everything in my power to return in one piece.”

It was a long moment before he could reply. “I was gonna ask you to marry me.”

“...I know.”

“I gotta ring an’ everything.”

“I believe you.” A long pause. “And I would have said yes.”

He growled. “Then why you gotta go? Say yes anyway, an’ stay here with me! You don’t gotta take this assignment.”

“I know I don’t. But we both know I should.”

They stood in silence until the bus showed up. “You gotta come back. Promise you’ll come back to me.”

She turned to face him, still with her hand in his. “I won’t make a promise I don’t know for certain I can keep.”

His eyes shimmered with tears he refused to let fall, his jaw set in silent desperation. “Promise me, Naoto.”

Her eyes could only reflect that same shine back to him. “I love you, Kanji.” 

Their hands only parted when the door required it.


	4. Fate?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy y'all! Guess it's my turn. AND I PROMISE, I DID NOT KILL OR TORTURE ANYONE. Please enjoy~!

Even as he tossed the 500-yen coin into the offering bucket, Kanji knew it wouldn’t be enough. It would probably take five hundred thousand yen – five hundred _million_ , even – before any deity out there would even consider such an outlandish request. Still, any little bit of luck or help he might be able to get, he would gladly accept.

“Sooooo, what are you wishing for?” Rise cooed as Kanji took his ema from the stack. It was rare, nowadays, for all of them to be together in one place, but Yu had just finished his entrance exams in the city and Rise’s most recent tour had just come to an end so they managed to throw together a short weekend in Inaba. After dinner at Aiya’s, Yukiko had suggested stopping by the shrine to pray for all the third-years’ futures as adults, and so here they were. The shrine hadn’t changed much in the last year, the main difference being that, per Yu’s suggestion, someone had finally erected a wall to hang emas on instead of leaving them on the shrine for the fox to take.

“None of your business,” Kanji growled in return, though he couldn’t help but glance in Naoto’s direction as he did so. She was standing on the other side of the shrine, talking to Chie, wearing that soft smile that always made him feel warm and fuzzy inside. Before it became too obvious he was staring, he turned back to the idol, only to be met with a knowing smirk. “Shut up.”

Rise shrugged coyly. “I didn’t say anything. But now I am: you’re totally gonna wish for something Naoto-related, aren’t you?”

Kanji opened his mouth to deny it, then scoffed. “So what if I am? Not like all the wishes in the world are gonna make a difference.”

“Don’t say that, Kanji,” Rise huffed. “I’m telling you, you’re selling yourself short. You and Naoto-kun are great friends, is it really that hard to think that maybe she could like you too?”

“Uh. _Yeah_. She’s, like, super smart, super cool, super cute. And I’m just…” He trailed off seeing Rise’s glare. He knew she didn’t like it when any of her friends talked down on themselves, but when your two best friends were a famous idol and a prodigy detective, it was hard not to sometimes.

“You’re just the world’s biggest sweetheart, super strong, and crazy talented,” Rise ticked off on her fingers. “Prime boyfriend material, if you ask me. If it weren’t for Senpai, Naoto-kun might have some competition.”

“Whatever,” Kanji sighed, waving a dismissive hand. “Jus’ go hang up your ema and pester someone else.”

Rolling her eyes, Rise tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and skipped to where Yu and Yosuke were hanging their wishes, her own ema dangling from one finger.

“What was Rise-san pestering you about this time?”

Kanji jumped at the sound of that voice. “Naoto!” Without his noticing, the detective must have finished her conversation with Chie and had wandered over to the donation box. She was standing a few feet away, hands clasped behind her back as she looked up at him. “Oh, uh – y-y’know, the usual.” Which was true, but vague enough that hopefully she wouldn’t question it.

“Trying to make a soap opera out of your life, I presume,” Naoto responded with a nod, seemingly satisfied by his answer. When she didn’t immediately follow this up with anything else, Kanji scrambled to fill the silence.

“Um. What did you wish for?” he asked, then mentally cursed himself. “If it’s not – I mean, you don’t gotta answer if it’s personal…”

Naoto cast her gaze downward. “Something impossible.” She gave a soft laugh before looking back up at him. “Personally, I don’t place much stock in these rituals, but I have to admit, there is fun to be had in participating in them with friends.”

“Yeah,” Kanji agreed, “I think so too. I never bothered coming here much before high school, even though it’s, like, right next to my house, but it’s nice coming with you. You guys – all – everyone. Coming with everyone.” _Nice save,_ he berated himself. It’s not like he was imagining the two of them coming here alone, praying for a successful relationship or anything. Definitely not.

If Naoto noticed his awkwardness, however, she diplomatically ignored it, only smiling and nodding. “Indeed.”

Before he could say anything else embarrassing, Kanji loudly cleared his throat and started, “Well, guess I should go hang this…” He looked down at his ema, then froze. No way. Had he seriously written that?

_Someday, I want to be able to tell Naoto I like her and not have her laugh in my face. Maybe even have her tell me she feels the same way._

He had absolutely not intended to be so…specific. He must have been distracted while talking to Rise and gotten carried away; he had only meant to write something to the effect of ‘luck in romance.’

“Is something the matter, Kanji-kun?”

“N-nothing! No!” Kanji held the ema against his chest so that she couldn’t see and laughed self-consciously. “Just, uh – totally messed this up, I meant to write ‘luck,’ but it came out ‘exercise’ – silly me! Lemme just get a new one, and –”

The next few moments played out in an almost out-of-body experience. Kanji could only watch in horror as, instead of reaching with his free hand to grab a new ema, his other hand flung out and sent his current one flying across the shrine grounds, landing a few yards from the gate.

“Oh.” Naoto blinked at the ema in confusion before – as if this couldn’t get any worse – she started walking towards it.

“It’s fine!” Kanji all but yelled, racing to beat her to it. And he would have easily outpaced her when, out of nowhere, a small orange blur zoomed past both of them. It paused only long enough for Kanji to recognize it as the fox that lived here before it picked up the ema in its mouth and ran out the gate.

“What the hell…?” He gaped at the spot where animal had been for a moment before instinct kicked in and he ran after it.

“Kanji-kun, wait!”

Ignoring Naoto’s words, he darted down the street towards the fox, who was sitting in front of Souzai Daigaku, tail waving almost tauntingly. When Kanji approached, it turned and dashed down the street.

“Get back here!” he yelled, knowing how ridiculous it was for him to be chasing a fox across town for a piece of wood, but feeling just stupid enough at this point that he might as well see it through. The damn thing seemed to know full well what it was doing, as it kept looking over its shoulder as if to make sure he was still there, and never quite getting beyond his field of vision. Once it got to the bookstore, the fox turned down the alley between it and the gas station, which Kanji could just barely squeeze through.

When he came out on the other side, he saw that he was in a quiet park, seemingly devoid of any other life; fox, human, or otherwise. One of the swings on the small playground was moving back and forth as if it had been recently jostled, but the fox seemed to have grown tired of its game and was nowhere to be seen.

“ _Dammit_ –” He leaned against a nearby tree, trying to catch his breath, accepting the fact that this would be the last he ever saw of that ema. “Stupid – I feed ya damn near every day, and this is the thanks I get?”

“Kanji-kun?”

Kanji groaned inwardly as Naoto walked up beside him, looking around in concern. Her face was mildly flushed but her breathing seemed even – she had probably done the smart thing and stopped running when it became obvious neither of them were going to catch that stupid fox.

“It got away?”

“Yeah.” Kanji sighed. Of course Naoto had followed him. She didn’t know when to leave well enough alone sometimes, and always seemed to have a front row seat for his stupidest decisions. Not in the mood for walking back to the shrine right now, he simply plopped down on the ground, laying back in the grass. A few moments later, he heard Naoto sit down beside him.

“Could you not simply write a new ema?” she questioned.

“It –” Kanji paused, silently watching the stars for a moment. Under different circumstances, this could have been almost romantic. “I kinda didn’t want to hang it up in the first place. I wrote…too much. Who knows where that damn fox is gonna leave it.”

Naoto hummed in understanding. “Ah. It was something very personal, I take it?”

“You could say that, yeah. ‘Course,” he added with a derisive laugh, “this is probably the gods, or spirits, or whatever’s out there, it’s their way’a tellin’ me ‘no way in hell.’ Don’t even bother hangin’ that one up, it’s never gonna happen. Maybe if I’m lucky she dropped it in the river and it’ll get washed away so no one ever sees it.”

“Well, on the bright side…wherever we ended up, it’s lovely. I’ve never seen this park before. It seems like Inaba still has much for me to discover. Perhaps we can spend a few minutes – _ow!_ ”

At this sudden exclamation, Kanji sat up straight, immediately on guard. Naoto was frowning and gingerly rubbing her head, though a moment’s surveillance showed no threat in the area. There was a rustling in the leaves above them, but there didn’t seem to be anything or anyone there. When he turned his gaze back on Naoto, however, she had something small and wooden in her hand, which she was staring at with an almost fearful look on her face.

“ _Shit!_ ”

As soon as Kanji realized what it was, he snatched it away, but he knew it was too late. She had seen what he had written on it, and now she was standing up, probably to run away and tell everyone how _stupid_ he was.

“Look, I – I know what you’re thinkin’ –” he started as he jumped to his feet, “but – don’t run off – just gimme a chance to – I don’t wanna make things weird –”

As he attempted to form a coherent sentence, Naoto, head completely turned away from him, dug around in her pocket. _Oh, great, she’s gonna_ shoot _me, and I don’t even blame her,_ Kanji thought, but the item she retrieved was decisively not gun-shaped. In fact, it appeared to be…an ema? She was holding it out towards him, still not meeting his gaze, so it took him a moment to realize she intended for him to take it. He did so, stuffing his own ema in his pocket and, after a brief hesitation, read hers.

And read it again.

And one more time, because there was no way – absolutely _no way_ – he was reading these words right now.

_I want the courage to tell Kanji-kun how I feel about him._

This…had to be a joke, right? Or maybe ‘how she felt’ was actually hatred, and Naoto figured now was as good a time as any to break the news to him.

“Perhaps this is some kind of karma for saying that I don’t believe in fortunes and wishes,” Naoto broke the silence, a shaky laugh escaping her lips. “I wrote this without thinking, and was about to get a new one as well when the fox decided to take us on a tour of Inaba. I had my doubts whether my wish would ever come true, but…”

“You don’t mean –?” Kanji still couldn’t make himself form more than a few words at once.

Finally, Naoto looked up at him, her cheeks much redder than they had been before. “It isn’t often I throw around words like ‘fate.’ But for your feelings to literally hit me over the head like that, while my own near-identical ema sat in my pocket…forgive the dramatics, but I don’t know what else to say given the circumstances.”

Slowly, Kanji realized what was happening, and that it was, well, _happening_. “W-wait – you’re serious?” A grin split his face, and a nervous laugh spilled out. Naoto hummed affirmatively, wringing her hands. “You really – you actually – _me?_ ”

“You,” she confirmed, eyes bashfully lowering. “I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner. I – I had a feeling that you might…but I was scared. I’ve never…I don’t know how to…”

“Me neither,” Kanji quickly cut in. “But I wanna figure it out with you, if that’s what you want. No matter how long it takes.”

She looked up at him, and the expression of mingling relief and affection on her face made all the running and embarrassment worthwhile. “I…would like that very much.” Before Kanji could say anything else, however, her brow furrowed slightly and she stuck her hand into her pocket, this time retrieving her phone. “Rise-san has sent me…goodness. Half a dozen text messages. The others are done at the shrine and have apparently noticed our disappearance.”

“Oh. Right. Almost forgot we kinda…vanished.” Kanji rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Whoops.”

Naoto cast one more glance up at the sky, pursing her lips thoughtfully. “The stars really are lovely tonight…” She turned back to Kanji. “Perhaps soon, we could go properly star-gazing. The view from the hill on the outskirts of town is incredible.”

 _Like a date?!_ “Hell yeah! Sounds awesome!” He pumped his fist enthusiastically, prompting a chuckle from Naoto. “Let’s get back to the others so they don’t worry about us for now, yeah?”

She nodded, seemed to hesitate for a moment, then held out her hand, blushing once more. “M-may I?”

Kanji felt as if his entire face caught fire at that, but immediately clasped her hand in his own. “Yeah!” He was so excited, he didn’t even care that his voice cracked. If anything, she seemed to relax a degree, her shoulders appearing to lose a bit of tension. For a minute, they just stared at each other, self-conscious but happy, before Naoto finally gave his hand a squeeze and led the way down the alley.

Maybe it was just Kanji’s imagination, but as they made to leave he thought he saw a twinkling pair of eyes watching them from the nearby shrubbery – before he turned the corner he would have sworn they winked at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To explain Kanji's feigned slip-up: in Japanese, 'luck' is written 運, and 'exercise' is written 運動. Whoops.


	5. The Shopping District Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But a single possibility of branches of many. Hadn't written this scenario yet so I thought I'd give it a shot

Naoto Shirogane struck fear into the hearts of men and women alike. A cold stare could disarm even the most hardened criminal, changing from puppy dog eyes into a piercing gaze at the tip of a hat just to gauge their reaction - a talent no doubt improved by spending time with a certain idol megastar who could be even more terrifying. She seemed to know just the phrase to disarm someone, and would otherwise hold her tongue until they said something to allow their guts to spill out and her to feast upon it like an ever-patient vulture. Her marksmanship had been famed ever since shooting out the tires of a getaway vehicle with a ricochet shot (which, she would admit only to very close friends, was done in desperation and due to having watched a Western the night beforehand), and the simple draw of her revolver would cause an often fatal hesitation in criminals.

 

Why was this cute smile from his girlfriend more terrifying than all of that?

 

“The Shopping District Challenge, hm?” Naoto quietly mused, holding a flyer in her hand. It was reported as quite a simple challenge - a series of mental exercises done at each of the businesses in the shopping district. Succeeding each challenge would net the victor with a few discounts at each shop, as well as a pair of colored and lined chopsticks. The lines would represent where to break the chopsticks upon completing the challenge, each color representing a different character. And upon proper organization, “the path to Nirvana will open”.

 

“Y-yeah” Kanji managed to stutter, rubbing the back of his head, “Ol’ man Aiya come over for dinner last Tuesday. Which, Imean, s’weird since he owns a restaurant but I mean I guess he got tired of Chinese fer once?” Naoto could only raise an eyebrow as nervous laughter followed Kanji’s conjecture. A curt nod seemed to follow, validating him. The fact that it was accompanied by a smile that all but showed she had figured out the rest of the story made the tailor’s heart melt a bit.

 

“U-uhhhh, anyway! S’just a way of drummin’ up some business. I mean, if you’re gonna go in t’solve a puzzle, y’kinda get used to seein’ all the fabrics an’ stuffed animals around you, gets ya thinkin’ ‘hey don’t I know someone who’d like that?’ Y-you know, it uh, is subliminal and shit!” Kanji nodded. Seemingly, nodding twice allowed him to confirm that what he said was extra true, allowing Naoto to respond with a bemused giggle. The one sound that would make his blood run cold and his heart feel like it’s going to burst out of his chest.

 

“Certainly a wise observation. And you stated that Aiya-san came up with this idea on his own?” she goaded. Her boyfriend often attempted to shift credit onto others - a byproduct of his days attempting to hide his hobbies, she had surmised - when the idea and drive had come out of his own mind. Of the many times he would admonish his own lack of intelligence, his creative process never ceased to astound her. She would insist that he saw things in shapes and feelings where she would see it with data and evidence - there’d been more than one occasion where he’d correctly predicted the motive of a crime before she had the evidence to pin down anything, only being given a summary and her conjecture on how not everything had been as it seemed. And then, of course, there was her overflowing closet of plushes and dolls, none of them asked for, each one made to get her out of or compliment a specific mood she was in. That required no further explanation.

 

“W-w-well… nah. He just was complainin’ about business here slowin’ down a bit, y’know, even despite Rise bein’ around sometimes and that pickin’ things up. So I just said, like, why don’t we all do somethin’ together. Then Ma went on about how we’re all like family here always lookin’ out for each other, so might as well do somethin’ together to give us all s-s-something we w-w-wanna see…” Kanji gulped, relaxing only when the angel he saw next to him seemed too absorbed in these potential challenges to notice his nerves.

 

“And I trust I am the guinea pig for this experiment? I haven’t seen any further flyers.” A simple gesture to the nearby bulletin board sufficed to make Naoto’s point.

 

“Y-you aren’t a pig! Guinea or otherwise! E-even if you’re damn cute and… y-you know when you… I…” Kanji’s stuttering hadn’t stopped after months of a relationship, but there seemed to be a silent agreement not to shy away from it. Both of their faces were red, of course, but a simple locking of eyes and hand holding was usually enough to settle both down and take their awkward, poorly stated compliments as they were meant to be taken.

 

“I doubt my theoretical ‘cuteness’, which I still feel is highly exaggerated by the by, has that great an impact on my candidacy for being the control group for this promotion,” Naoto surmised. “Likely, it’s to get my opinion on if specific challenges would be ‘too hard’ or ‘too easy’, so as to ensure that customers and challengers do not give up in frustration or spend too little time in a particular location, correct?”

 

A quiet “Y-yeah!” managed to escape Kanji’s lips, an exclamation rewarded with yet another smile.

 

“Well, a Shirogane would never back down from a challenge. I intend to achieve this ‘Nirvana’ and, with you as the originator of the idea, I expect a great payout for my inevitable victory.” Naoto chuckled. Kanji laughed along as well, placing an arm around her shoulders and pointing to the remainder of the shopping district.

 

“C’mon! Let’s dominate this district!”

 

—

 

Konishi Liquor Challenge

 

Presented before Naoto above the candy rack were five fine, unlabeled scotches. The competitor is asked to age five scotches from youngest to oldest, with the prize being a smaller version of their scotch of preference. Not one to hold her liquor well, Kanji was nervous about Naoto’s first choice of competition, but she quickly shrugged it off. The competition would be unable to be particularly well attended or thought of if the events could not also appeal to children, after all. Naoto softly observed each bottle, moving it around in her hands, judging viscosity, before her eyes led her downward. With one swift motion, she grabbed five butterscotch candies from the candy rack below, checking expiration dates on each and setting them in youngest to oldest order. The grin on Naoto’s face as she was handed her rewards sent a jolt through Kanji’s body, and an affirmative hand squeeze brought them into a congratulatory embrace as they exited.

 

 

Tatsuhime Shrine Challenge

 

Kanji was… less than impressed at the challenge given by the fox; albeit, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting asking a relatively wild animal to participate. A crude handwritten sign managed to read, “1,000 yen. Special Ema. Put in greatest wish, win challenge!!!” Despite the fact that the chopstick ‘reward’ was simply lying in plain sight for anyone to take, Naoto decided to take the overall meaning of the challenge to heart. Kanji observed her, thinking every motion of hers was elegant. From the way she makes careful, long, thoughtful brush strokes to the way she closes her eyes, lips framed in a thoughtful and content expression as she clutched the ema to her chest.

 

She’d previously find such superficial actions foolish; no amount of prayers returned to her what she most desired when she was five, no matter how often or how consistently she would ask for it. However, only recently did she feel to put true belief into what’s possible. Her emas came to not represent a divine hand guiding her, but for spirits to help her find strength within herself. This action was no different. Even after taking her chopsticks, she lingered for just a moment longer, Kanji just where she wanted him at her side, allowing her to be most at peace.

 

 

Marutake Hobby Shop Challenge

 

Kanji couldn’t help but chuckle at the sheer energy Naoto managed to demonstrate for this challenge. Slot cars had long since been a dead hobby, but the young detective managed to tackle it with gusto. The idea was to simply use a proper combination of various parts in order to clear a slot car track within a certain time, with enough tries for experimentation. Victory would provide a discount to slot car pieces, which Naoto very swiftly snatched up after her inevitable victory. How quickly she was absorbed, comparing the craftsmanship of gears to their compatibility with tiny engines, testing them against slopes and ramps… it was as worrying as it was adorable. Naoto never made a move without concluding that she had exhausted all possible information; it was simply a matter of pride. Only a few times was he able to allow her an impulse decision, something that had mixed results each time he encouraged it. She had, of course, insisted that he had been correct even when her gut reaction had resulted in a net negative, but frankly, the Featherman movie she hadn’t seen the reviews for yet that he goaded her into choosing ‘with her heart’ was pretty freakin’ terrible.

 

Kanji simply hoped that she would enjoy following her heart today.

 

 

Souzai Daigaku Challenge

 

“Truly, they remain a clever business” Naoto mused, holding her fourth pair of chopsticks. The simple challenge before her was trivia on how Souzai Daigaku prepared their food. Such methods for street vending tended to be common knowledge, but the way in which it was described, the combination of ingredients used, the subtle hints of scent and actual preparation in the back… well, it’d make most challengers reconsider their lunch plans, at the very least. While walking to the next eatery for her fifth challenge, Naoto noted how close her boyfriend had become to her - distance-wise, at the moment, rather than purely emotionally. Certainly, she could always expect him to come closer when food was involved.

 

_Quickest way to a man’s heart_ , she reminded herself. Recalling her first attempts at cooking being relative disasters, a quiet hum escaped her lips at the thought of her domestic improvements. Despite her insistence, baking was not an exact science of simply following times and procedures. Human intervention allowed for a specific amount of “love” to be put in dishes - for example, how hard you beat the eggs to go in a plate of brownies (Kanji liked it more when she left them a bit more unbroken and they left an uneven balance in the center), or your distribution of shrimp in a curry (Kanji preferred it on top rather than her first choice of completely submerging it in the spice). It was Kanji who showed her all of these things.

 

In another life, she’d find Kanji’s attempts to spend time with her in the kitchen to be sexist or chauvinistic at best, actively detrimental at worst. A detective had no time to spend preparing, cleaning, and creating a meal when professionals were trained to do so with no time loss at a comparable cost. Moreover, a woman attempting to make a name for herself had no business in a kitchen when she could be pioneering new domains, and the thought of her being caught in it would surely cause people to think less of her. However, as Kanji had so eloquently put it, “Fuck what other people think”. She reveled at the opportunity to spend time with him, to devote her mind to a creative process with a quantifiable outcome. It didn’t matter that it was a “female” activity; it was one of “their” activities. Overcoming that psychological barrier… that’s what she had wanted all along, she was sure of it.

 

Lost in her own thoughts, it took another prompting from Aiya-san for Naoto to realize she’d already arrived at the diner. She let out a squeak, and at Kanji’s chuckling, endeavored never to make that sound again, face flush with embarrassment.

 

 

Chinese Diner Aiya Challenge

 

Of the challenges she had faced, Naoto’s evaluation of Aiya-san’s “how much meat can I put in this beef bowl before I start to lose money” was that it remained a less than inspired challenge for a business owner trying to pawn his mathematical quandaries onto someone else. Regardless, she obliged for the sake of her victory, though recommended alternative means to create a better ‘challenge’. Surprisingly, for as determined as Aiya-san seemed to get an answer out of Naoto initially, he seemed to have very little care in her suggestions for improving this business venture. However, a free beef bowl for her victory did provide a nice chance for idle conversation. Her normal conversation partner seemed to have snuck out when a daunting load of numbers was presented to him, leaving that to Naoto while he “helped ma” or whatever his excuse out of doing any form of math would be.

 

“So I’m told that you and the Tatsumis were the instigators of this game to bolster business?” Naoto remarked. The old restauranteur adjusted his glasses, looking up from his wok to take a moment to process what he’d been told. Then, with a practiced customer-appealing nod and smile, he agreed.

 

“That’s right. Tatsumi-san has been very nice to me over the years. You know, it was her husband who welcomed me to the neighborhood when I first came to this country?” he reminisced.

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Very so! My Japanese… ohhhhh, no good! Very break-in! Lots wrong sentence!” Aiya-san gesticulated through his performance of himself with poor grammar, cowering and extending his hands. It managed a small smirk from Naoto - it was far from the worst performance she’d seen from criminals pretending not to understand Japanese while being interrogated.

 

“Ahhhh, but Tatsumi-kun, he welcomed me with a pat on the back. One time, I mentioned that I kept losing my ladles and meat forks in the kitchen, get tossed everywhere. The next day, Tatsumi-kun came over with his wife to give me a new apron, with little slots on the inside to put knives and forks, and even little sleeves so that they wouldn’t make a cut if I tripped! I give it to the trainees now that keep fumbling around.” Aiya-san continued to speak, very highly of the Tatsumis, Naoto enraptured by his words. Stories of family always had their charm to her; her career path and pride were tied deeply into her own, after all.

 

“Tatsumi-kun and Tatsumi-san told me something important that day: we’re family here. Everyone who comes through your door is your family, and you’re looking to give each other the best deal you can. So they give me a wonderful gift, and I make sure they get the best meat and vegetables I can throw in out of my stock. It goes for everyone in this little block; we all chipped in a little when Marutake-san went under so that he could keep doing business at night. And with all of the time you spend here, you’re family, too. So thanks for helping us out with this little favor we’re doing.”

 

Naoto raised an eyebrow. “Favor?” she question. Aiya-san quickly dropped his ladle, moving his hands to his face in a panic.

 

“AIYAAAAAA! I-I forgot about the chicken wings in the oven! Thank you, that will be all, come again!” With that, Aiya-san darted to the back of the kitchen, attempting to find something to work on. Though she could press the issue, Naoto found herself simply thanking him for the meal and walking outside. There would be a far easier way of obtaining her answers, and he was walking right across the street.

 

“H-hey, sorry for bailin’. Ma just needed emergency inventory, y’know? Tax reasons an’ all that.” Kanji offered as an apology, hanging his head a bit. Naoto just observed her young beau and placed a hand on his shoulder. The hairs on the back of Kanji’s neck stood up as Naoto leaned in, her breath traveling down his shoulders.

 

“You avoided math only to do more math. That’s… so like you.” she chuckled.

 

“St-st-stop sayin’ that! Dammit, you’re spendin’ so much time with Rise, you’re startin’ to sound like her!” Kanji stammered. This only brought forth further amusement from his tiny partner, but she decided against giggling at him mercilessly. A small squeeze sufficed to silence him. And five words proceeded to chill him to the bone.

 

“I know you’re hiding something.”

 

Kanji blinked several times and offered a word that was most likely once “what” before his breaths and tongue tripping over itselfmade it unintelligible. Naoto placed a finger to his lips, and at once, his thoughts relaxed.

 

“Aiya-san was… less than subtle. I assume he was attempting to tell some form of comforting story, but… all of these actions, these puzzles, they seem specifically tailored to me. A simple riddle to allow a flaunting of intelligence, playing to my hobbies, bringing up memories of my growth, my past, my desires for the future, an element of ‘family’… of course, I’d been a bit suspect from the start, but it’s quite obvious what this has become.”

 

Kanji could only manage a defeated scoff. “You really got it that quick, huh? Yeah, there… ain’t a kinda promotion. I mean, it COULD be, would work, but that’s not…”

 

“You’re quite the mastermind, Kanji Tatsumi. I had no doubts toward completely earnest intentions from you, only the failings of your accomplices revealed your true, dastardly nature.” A poke to the nose was… juvenile, she would admit, but she felt far too playful to keep from doing it. Another side-effect of close proximity with Kanji.

 

“… W-well, you wanna keep going or…?”

 

“I would like a special prize. If you’d please gather the chopsticks? I’m certain the other puzzles are just fine, but I’m afraid I’ll be too distracted attempting to solve the greater mystery to pursue them.”

 

“Alright. I’ll get the stuff together, you just go back to ma’s an’ tell her what’s goin’ on, alright?”

 

Naoto nodded and turned about face, heading toward the textile shop. For all of her deduction that had gotten her this far, there was a level of excitement building in her chest. She had not an idea of what this could be. Kanji wasn’t one to construct elaborate games for her amusement, often preferring the simplest methods of entertainment or affection. Worry then set over her that she had missed some form of anniversary; she’d gotten better, and insisted that Kanji did not need frivolities such as their ‘two week’ and ‘four and a half month’ anniversaries when they’d started dating, but had quickly grown to enjoy and attempt to throw in these random milestones whenever possible. If the shopping district is in on this, perhaps his inheriting of the shop from his mother? That would be somewhat bittersweet, responsibility to his business then preventing him from accompanying her on cases, as he would do from time to time despite her (admittedly weak) protests.

 

Possibility compounded itself in Naoto’s mind as she entered her textile ‘home’.

 

 

 

Tatsumi Textiles Final Challenge

 

Kanji’s design for the chopsticks really had been clever. Eight individual characters, color-coded by the chopsticks, with the divisions she would have to make in each outlined in a bright orange. These orange divisions would also denote the ‘end of a line’, as it were, so she would know where to end the character. The display was wholly impressive, though not entirely unexpected from Kanji. Though he normally stuck to needlework for this kind of display, his ability to combine various parts in an artistic manner was always an admirable trait of his, and one that she could not hope to replicate or help to be somewhat envious of.

 

“These are longer and unbroken, meaning shorter characters. I will start here…” Naoto explained her process, methodically breaking chopsticks and rearranging them in the manner Kanji had envisioned. “Kudasai… you’re asking something of me. Which would mean that before it…” Naoto’s hands quickly reacted, barely even acknowledging the process that Kanji had gone through to make it special. “Shite Kudasai.” she revealed, the chopsticks perfectly alligned. Kanji managed a nod.

 

“Yeah, but what’m I askin’ you for?”

 

Naoto’s eyes focused deeply on the remaining pieces. Many interchanging pieces, with so many possibilities… her mind raced with what kind of question Kanji would pose before becoming tunneled, devoting all of its resources to the proper management of these sticks. She paid no need to Tatsumi-san placing a record of familiar classical music on in the background. Even less so hearing the older woman offering a hushed prayer.

 

“… Tie. You’re asking me t—“ Naoto had managed a single phrase before clasping a hand to her mouth. There on a single knee was Kanji Tatsumi, a small black box set in one hand, eyes courageously set in front of him to meet her gaze. Though there were other eyes clearly on them, Naoto paid them no heed, solely focused on the small object in front of her.

 

“Go on. Finish. What’ll everyone think if ya don’t?” Kanji offered incredibly gently. Naoto shook her head.

 

“Fuck what other people think.”

 

They’d figure out the rest of the challenge later. Likely around the time they decided which last name to use. For now, the joining of their lips was all that mattered for either of them at this point. They were clever. They were hopeful. They were learning. They were playful. They were finally family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ain't necessarily canon - I'd like to think everyone has their idea of how this exchange goes down - but I found it too cute of an idea not to play with. A bit sappier than I'd like though. Maybe I should emotionally torture them more often than I do. In public, at least...


	6. Impatient

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanji's inability to sit and be patient mounts to a point where his mother sends him to the shopping district to use his nervous energy for something good. What has him so anxious?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My turn! Took me some time to figure out what to write for this because writer's block is literally the worst.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Years had passed since the Investigation Team had disbanded, having done their duty for their community. Numerous events had occurred, none of them exactly stress-free. Graduating high school, furthering education, job hunting, the beginning and maintenance of relationships, it all caused Kanji’s emotions and anxiety to spike at one time or another, whether from frustration or just plain nerves. However, this time there was a different kind of electrical charge to his aura that would zap him into action or even panic; waiting.

This was something Kanji was never good at. Ever. As confirmed by himself and the numerous others in his life. No matter what it was for. A ride at the amusement park, an acceptance letter, a newly fitted and customized ring for a special someone in his life; describing him as patient would be an outright mistake. But this session felt the worst by far. Between the unknown end and overwhelming anticipation of a new beginning, he was antsy to say the least. He paced nervously across the hardwood floor of his mother’s living room, an occasional creak marking another lap from one end to the other.

“Kanji, you’re starting to make a trench in the floorboards,” Mrs. Tatsumi sighed. “You need to sit down before you get dizzy.”

“I can’t, Ma. I’m just,” Kanji interrupted himself to check his phone for the umpteenth time that morning, “so damn antsy. I feel like the day is never gonna come.”

“You know that’s not true. It literally can’t not come,” his mother laughed quietly. “You’re being far too impatient.”

“Over a year, Ma. I’ve been waitin’ for over a year for this to happen!”

“Yes I know you have. We all have, dear.”

Kanji’s brows knit together and his jaw clenched, “I wish she woulda stayed home.”

From behind her tea cup, Mrs. Tatsumi smiled, “You know as well as I do that getting Naoto to stay put is nearly impossible. Reminds me of someone else I know who won’t sit still.”

“Ahh, can it, Ma. You know damn well I ain’t gonna be able to sit at a time like this, so quit askin’.”

A huff escaped the matron, “It may not even be today, Kanji. It could happen tomorrow when she’s home and you don’t have to worry as much. You’re potentially worked up over nothing.”

“NOTHIN’?! Ma! This is my k-!”

“Can you go to the store for me?”

“Wha?!”

“I need a few things and I’m suddenly quite exhausted. Since you have so much energy to burn, I figured my son wouldn’t mind running an errand or two for me.”

Kanji grumbled under his breath but he knew there would be no getting out of the new family obligation. He sighed in defeat, “Whadya need, Ma?”

“Here’s my list,” she handed off a small piece of paper to her offspring who recoiled a bit in surprise.

“DID YOU HAVE THAT READY TO GO THIS WHOLE TIME?!”

“Only since I knew I was out of a few things…and you said you were coming over to work out some nerves.”

“Aww man…”

“Now get going. I’m sure there will be plenty of people in the shopping district to keep you at least occupied. Maybe your friends will be there!”

With one hand trying in vain to rub the tension from his neck, Kanji snatched the list up with the other and headed for the door. “I hope you’re right, Ma. I really do.”

Of course for the first few stops, none of his closer companions made appearances. Alone and mind reeling with unquenchable restlessness, he dipped into one store after another, gathering the items on his mother’s grocery agenda. “What the hell? Whiskey?” he wondered out loud to himself on the sidewalk. “Thought we got her a bottle of the good stuff last month…eh, whatever,” he resigned himself to a trip to the liquor shop. His mother was a fan of the “old man booze” that his father would lightly indulge in during celebrations or cold nights, so it wasn’t a surprise that it was on the list. Perhaps she finished the last round he and Naoto got her as a random gift; it wasn’t that big anyway. On his way out with his most recent purchase tucked away in his reusable bag he’d made himself, he was beckoned by a familiar voice.

“Kanji-kun! Wait up!”

“Hm? Oh hey, Chie-senpai!” he greeted, the first smile on his face all day stretching his cheeks. Metallic eyes admired her outfit for the day and noted there was meaning behind it that could signify her being needed elsewhere. “Ain’t you on duty today, officer?”

“Yeah but that doesn’t mean I can’t take a few minutes to check in on you!” Chie beamed her usual bright grin. Ever since she’d gotten the job with the local police department, she was more cheerful (while being scary determined) than ever before. Warmed Kanji’s heart to see another one of his friends succeed at their dreams. “So~….anything yet?” she asked expectantly with a side of hopefulness.

Kanji’s shoulders dropped, “If there was, you think I’d be here?”

“Oh my God, what is _taking_ so long?!”

“THAT’S WHAT I’M SAYIN’! It's seriously gonna kill me waitin' like this.”

“Where’s Naoto? Maybe she has a guess? Has she called?”

“She went to Dojima-san’s house for a bit. Wanted to go over a case with him. She’s not even supposed to be workin’ right now,” he huffed. “And no, she hasn’t called.”

“Damn, well let’s hope it’s soon! We’re all getting impatient now!” Chie declared. Her cheeks puffed when she was done. The squirrel-in-autumn expression made Kanji chuckle quietly. She smiled back. “Let me guess; shopping for stuff to stay distracted?”

“More like got kicked outta Ma’s. Guess I was driving her crazy. Prolly why Naoto’s been helpin’ out on cases too.”

“Really? You think you’re the reason?”  


“I wouldn’t be surprised. Been kinda dotin’ on-oh hold up!” Kanji cut himself off, reaching for his cell that was now singing a familiar rock tune. Excited eyes scanned the name at the top of his screen before he quickly poked the green “answer” box. “Hey, Dojima-san, what’s up?” Chie stayed quiet, yet it was obvious she wanted to ask a million questions. She kept her sights locked on Kanji’s face as he spoke to their friend and her superior. “What? Wait, slow down! What’s going….now? RIGHT NOW?!” Chie’s eyes widened along with her grin. Kanji caught her attention and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up. “Is Naoto alright?!....’Kay, just remind her to do her breathin’ exercises on the way….Yeah! Yeah I’m on my way! I’ll meetcha there! Thanks Dojima-san, I owe ya one!” Tatsumi didn’t even bother ending the call before he hurriedly tucked his phone back into his pocket. “I gotta go!” he shouted, voice higher pitched than normal.

“YES! GO GO! Hey…wait, what’re you doing?!” Suddenly Chie found herself stuck with a cute penguin bag full of heavy groceries.

“I said I gotta go! Bring those back to Ma, will ya?! Thanks senpai!” Kanji requested as he turned on his heel and dashed down the sidewalk.

“Wait!….Oh fine. I got it! KEEP US UPDATED!”

As Kanji ran through the shopping district, his feet carrying him as fast as they could muster, he screamed out to the town, his cracked voice echoing off the store fronts and pure excitement coating every syllable, “I’M GONNA BE A DAD!”


	7. Movie Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This story follows the Sunsets and Strawberries timeline, but you don’t have to have read that to enjoy this.

Kanji Tatsumi spent an early morning in the shopping district running errands. Tonight needed to be perfect. He had started ( _finally!_ ) dating Naoto a couple of months ago. This wasn’t their first date, or even their _first time_ , but it was going to be the first time they spent a quiet evening at his house watching movies. Because he wanted her to have a good time, he had asked Naoto to bring something to watch. Kanji felt relief at not having to guess what kind of films she was into. He could probably pick a few out and not do too badly, but why tempt fate? So after an early morning Junes run for for ingredients, he spent the next hour walking around the shopping district looking for a few things to make tonight perfect. 

A quick trip to the Shiroku store allowed him to gather up some of the best snacks. He had seen Naoto eyeing the newest pocky flavor they had gotten in last week, cookies and cream, but she had refrained from buying any, mumbling something about “frivolous things”. He grabbed a box, and a package of those gummy worms Teddie was always sharing with her. He wasn’t sure if she was just accepting them to not hurt the bear’s feelings, or if she really liked them. If not, he had it covered. 

Kanji’s second stop was at the newly opened flower shop, Rafresi. It was apparently a chain in Tokyo. Kanji tried asking the boy working why they decided to open a store in Inaba of all places.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m not sure. But they asked if I wanted to work at this location over summer break, and your town seemed to have a good vibe, so here I am.” the boy answered.

“O-Oh. Cool. Umm, so I need to get a bouquet for my umm, g-girlfriend,” Kanji stuttered.

“Great. Do you want small, soft colored flowers, or large, brightly colored ones?”

“Umm… let’s go with large and bright, I guess. That would be more cheerful, yeah?”

The boy smiled. “Sounds good.” He disappeared into the back of the shop for a few minutes, returning with a stunning bouquet. “I’ve used the scarlet rose, gold gerbera, and gecko orchid. What do you think?”

“It’s amazing! Thanks, man!” Kanji exclaimed. The combination of large red, yellow and pink flowers was perfect. Kanji felt happy just looking at them. He paid for his purchase and headed outside. He noticed that Naoki was standing outside Konishi Liquors. “Hey, Naoki. Sup?” he asked.

“Oh, hey, Kanji. What are you up to?”

“Just getting some stuff for tonight.” Kanji blushed a little as Naoki eyed the bouquet. 

“Date night?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah!”

“I was going to grab an early lunch at Aiya, want to come?” Naoki asked.

“Hell yeah I do!” Kanji replied. “Let me just drop this stuff off at home real fast, I’ll meet you over there.”  
The two boys enjoyed a nice lunch together. As luck would have it, it started to drizzle. Rain meant mega beef bowls! They stuffed themselves, their bowls still looking nearly full when they were finished. The rain picked up, and they shouted goodbye to each other, running off in opposite directions

______________________________________________________________

Naoto Shirogane spent the morning relaxing at her apartment. She enjoyed a few cups of coffee while reading the news online, looked over a few case files, and took a long, hot shower. Once lunch time had passed, she began to feel nervous. She and Kanji had never had a date at his home before. It was only movie night, but it felt rather intimate for some reason. His mother would be out late with her sewing group, so it would be just the two of them alone together. She was in charge of only two things; movies and popcorn. It seemed simple enough, but she was worried. She had selected the newest Featherman movie which had recently come out on DVD. Would Kanji think it was too juvenile? She knew that he had watched Featherman as a kid, but that was years ago. Perhaps she should have chosen something more appropriate for their age. 

Naoto decided that she needed backup. She immediately dialed the only person that would know exactly what to do in this situation. “Rise-san? I need your help.”

After a brief conversation, she headed over to Marukyu Tofu. Rise had been helping her grandmother with the store, but she insisted she was overdue for a break and to come right over. Naoto entered as Rise skipped down the stairs. “Oh, Naoto-kun, perfect timing! Be back in a while, grandma!” When they were outside, they found a bench to sit on and discuss their game plan.

“D-Do you think the movie will be alright?” Naoto asked, explaining the situation to Rise.

“Oh course it will be, silly! Everyone likes a good Featherman movie once in awhile. If you’re really worried about it, why not grab a second film to watch after?” Rise suggested.

“That’s a good idea,” Naoto said. “Will you help me choose something?”

“Absolutely!” Rise said with a smile, pulling Naoto to her feet. The two girls walked down to the Yomenaido Bookstore to check out the selection of DVD’s they kept in the back of the store. “Oooh, how about this one? It looks so romantic!” Rise exclaimed. Naoto just gave her a look. “Oh, right. You’d rather bring the romance on yourself,” she said with a wink. 

“What about this one?” Naoto asked.

“Hmm. I don’t think Kanji-kun is into action films too much. How about something scary? That would be sure to bring on the snuggling fast!”

“N-No. Absolutely not,” Naoto said with a shudder. Rise giggled and kept looking through the movies.

“Wait, here’s a good one. It’s a mystery!” Rise said.

Naoto thought for a moment. “It looks interesting, but will Kanji like it?” she asked.

“Sure! I mean, we all met because we were solving a mystery together, right? It’s perfect!”

With the movie ordeal settled, she walked Rise back to Marukyu. Naoto was relieved that Rise knew what kind of popcorn Kanji liked best, so she stopped in the Shiroku store for a bag of caramel and cheddar. She was glad the rain had not persisted, as it had made her errands easier to complete.

______________________________________________________________

 

She was still a little nervous, but Naoto knocked on the door of Tatsumi Textiles at 6 pm. Kanji opened the door a moment later, as if he’d been waiting for her. He pulled her inside, shutting the door quickly and pulling her into a kiss.

Naoto smiled up at him. “Hi,” she said, wondering why she had been so nervous about this. “It smells wonderful in here, have you been baking?”

“Uhh, yeah, actually. Chocolate chip cookies,” he said with a grin. “Here, I got these for you,” he said, blushing slightly as he handed her the bouquet.

Naoto lifted the flowers to her face and inhaled deeply. “They’re beautiful,” she said, beaming. “Thank you.”

They made their way to the living room where Kanji had set out the snacks he had gathered, adding her bag of popcorn to the haul. It turned out that Kanji had been dying to see the Featherman movie. Naoto smiled, feeling pleased. They sat together on the couch, his arm around her shoulders, sharing snacks. After the first movie, they popped in the mystery. It was interesting, but they were both having a hard time paying attention. Sitting alone in the dark together for that long had them both feeling distracted, and before long they were doing much more kissing than watching. 

When the second film ended, Naoto had her arms wrapped around Kanji’s waist, his arms comfortably holding her. She looked up at him and smiled. “This was a really fun night. We should do this more often.”

“Yeah! We should make it like a weekly thing. Take turns picking the movies or whatever.”

“Excellent idea. We can watch at my apartment next time, if you like.”

“Sounds good,” Kanji replied, kissing her on the cheek. “So long as I’m with you, if doesn’t matter where we are.”


	8. Not a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the hell does one even start dating. Like, what on earth are the rules? Can't anyone, like, write some book about this shit? Or maybe someone has already, I don't read much. ... has Naoto read any books about it?

One of the many problems Kanji faced when asking out Naoto... Well. He was great at finding excuses for why to _not_ ask her out.

Take locations, okay? Finding a place for a _date_ -date wasn't really easy in Inaba. There were no fancy restaurants, no parks with secluded areas. Sure, there was the hillside overlooking the valley, and Naoto kind of liked it there, but that's also often where kids hung out because of the daycare thing there. And, well, even if the Samegawa was nice, especially in the summer, but it was very public and no way in hell would Kanji ever convince Naoto to something as embarrassing as a picnic in public. After all, what would people say?

So; all of those were right out.

What else? Aiya was nice enough to hang out with friends to grab a bite, but lousy for romance, what with the cooking smells in the air and the banging that the chef did in front of the damn counter.

Junes was dumb; _everyone_ came to Junes and Teddy worked in the food court when he wasn't helping unloading or restocking stuff. He didn't need 'scoring' comments when he was trying to impress Naoto Shirogane; that would be hard enough on its own.

Then there was the rumour that Shiroku was turning into a pub at night; but when Senpai had told him about that, he seemed super-sleepy and Kanji still felt that he musta dreamed that. I mean, where on earth would the old lady hide a huge aquarium that filled the whole of one side of the shop? It was tiny enough already! No, Inaba wasn't a place with a cool nightlife... and thinking on that, Naoto wouldn't be the type for it, right? Not like they could even go into a bar yet, either.

If he actually had a pair, he'd invite her over for dinner. Show off his stuff. After all, Konishi never complained; the boy thought Kanji's cooking was great, damnit! He'd find out what stuff she likes, then he would totally wow her with her favourite dish, cooked to perfection, maybe even have his Ma weigh in on what a great catch he is...

"Kanji-kun?"

And just like that, Naoto bust his bubble and Kanji jumped, looking along the road. "Y-Yeah? Hi Naoto!" His hand snapped up in greeting and right away Rokuten Maoh stomped around his head, calling him all kinds of an idiot for not having a lick of smooth in him.

"Hello, again." She closed her eyes and gave him one of those tiny smiles that killed him inside every time he saw it. "You seemed far away there."

"Ah, yeah, just... you know... Stuff."

She nodded as if she understood a word of that, opened her eyes and crossed her arms to peer at him. "Well then. Rise-san said you wanted to speak to me. Here I am, though I still think you could have texted me."

 _This damn better work, Rise..._ "Uh, yeah, stupid of me, really, I forgot to recharge and my battery died on me. So I kinda asked Rise ta ping ya, right?"

That wasn't entirely wrong, either. See, Rise had been telling him for weeks now that unless he made a move this year, someone else might. And they only really had their second year to build relationships, she argued, because next year they would be too busy studying for their entrance exams and stuff.

Since they had worked together last year to kick Izanami's ass, died, resurrected, kicked more ass, and then Marie turned out to be a goddess and stuff or something; Kanji felt she was right. He saw how quick a year could pass, and, damnit, if he could not find a way to ask her out for a big date, then maybe finding ways to hang out more often in small ways could be a start.

Naoto seemed to accept his explanation with a short nod. "Ah, that is why. Well, here I am. What did you need?"

"Y-Yeah, I was just... Uhm... say, wanna go grab a Topsicle with me today? Like, uh, now? A-After school?"

She looked puzzled for a moment, then shifted her school bag from one hand to the other. Tucking down her cap a fraction she mumbled, "Well, I had been planning to head home right now and prepare for the tests in two weeks..." She trailed off, still not meeting his gaze.

"Oh." His shoulders sank.

She looked up to meet his eyes. "However, those are two weeks away still. I believe I am free to spend some time."

Kanji’s expression must have been a sight, because she covered her mouth to hide a smile when his head jerked up. "Y-Yer serious?"

"Even I like to indulge now and again. And having a treat with friends is easier to justify than having one on my own later." She turned to head towards the shopping district. "Shall we?"

Kanji just nodded, falling in step with her by making small steps. In his head, he kept reminding himself _This ain't no date, this ain’t no date_ , while Rokuten Maoh kept trying to insist that it **_COULD BE DATE, COULD BE DATE_**

They passed the bookstore and Naoto gave the window a curious glance.

"Wanna go in?" Kanji asked.

"No, the book I am anticipating will not arrive for another three months, sadly. It is a continuation of the _Real Man_ series."

"Huh. Ya read those?"

She chuckled and tucked on her cap lightly. "I understand your surprise. It is not something I would have picked up on my own volition. Nevertheless, Yu-senpai suggested the series to me in an email a few weeks ago. Said it helped him understand his weaknesses and fears in a more expansive comparison to the rest of the general social stereotype and he suggested that I could benefit from it."

"But... yer ain't no guy..."

When she shyly looked up at him from under her cap, he struggled to contain an excited squeak. _Why is she so friggin' cute today?!_

"Well, no, but biologically. Nonetheless ... well...” She fidgeted with her hat for a moment. “One needs to admit I carry a lot of the internalised stereotypical reactions and thought processes of male society. Due to the self-image I have held for so long, combined with the super-imposed image of what my idolised detective would be; I myself have fallen for many a trap of the male ego myself."

Kanji walked beside her in silence for a few meters before he nodded. "So yer thinkin' like a dude. An' senpai though learning how that hurts ya will help ya?"

"Astute, as ever, Kanji-kun," she mumbled softly at his side.

As he tried to ask her what she meant by that, he saw they had already arrived at the tofu shop. Kanji turned his head with her to wave at old lady Marukyu. "Yo, Marukyu-san!"

"Good day, Marukyu-san," Naoto added, tucking her cap.

Rise's grandmother looked around her current patron and waved at them with a smile.

"She is such a charming woman," Naoto said as they walked on, "I have learned a lot about soy products from her over the recent months."

"Oh, yeah? I think Rise taught me more, come to think of it..." Naoto's sideways glance at him went unnoticed as he continued. "Did ya know there is such a thing as tofu pie? Never much liked sweet tofu, but I guess..."

"Indeed."

They did not walk for long, as just next door was the shop of Shiroku. Kanji ducked in and headed straight for the icebox in the back. So far, he felt that he had not really left the needed good impression with Naoto. What if she hated tofu and here he is just blabbin' on 'bout it. _Stupid_! He frowned to himself as he dug through the cooler, muttering curses at himself.

"Is there a problem, Kanji-kun?"

"N-Na, just dunno what Naot-" He blinked and looked to his side. Naoto had a bemused little smile on her lips, the confusion in her eyes dancing with the tiny smile trying to quirk her lips.  "Ah, shi- I mean, dunno what you'd like, yeah!"

"Well, if you are asking me," she said, closing her eyes with a smile, "then I would like a fruity flavour."

"Right, yeah, fruit..." He dove back into the cooler, trying to hide his blush. "Like, uh, is-is melon okay?"

"That will be adequate, yes."

"Cool. I'll just grab some and pay then." He still had not grabbed a Topsicle and pondered. There were four melon flavoured ones. Not surprising, really, melon was awesome in summer.

"Oh!" Naoto had reached for her wallet and now paused looking at him with big eyes. "You meant to invite me? In that case, I could just have anything; I hope I did not select anything pricy..."

Kanji waved her off with a grin. "Na, ’s fine. Old lady Shiroku gives me a rebate because I buy so much here."

"A discount, you mean?"

"Yeah?"

Naoto pursed her lips, looking to the entrance for a moment, and then turned to nod at him. "Very well. I will permit this."

Kanji hesitated for a moment before he nodded at the girl. Without looking back to her, he grabbed the largest Topsicles - the kind with two sticks, meant to share, and hurried off to pay.

"Hello dear... oh, only one large one today?"

"Shhh!" He gave a quick glance over his shoulder before looking back. "Yeah, jus' this for now. Might need more later, right?"

The shopkeeper leaned back a bit to glance at his totally-maybe-date and started to smile. "Oh, I see. Well, if you two need another, just go grab one from the freezer. It's on me. Enjoy your afternoon, Kanji-chan."

There was something to be said to being known to someone since you were a kid. What exactly that was, he wasn't entirely sure, as he tried to balance thanking her for the sponsored Topsicle and glaring a her for being a nosey old hag. He settled on an embarrassed grin and turned to his friend.

Naoto was browsing the package of some dried mushrooms. "It says here... these make for a fever remedy if added to Udon soup," she read with a puzzled frown.

"Huh. Dunno 'bout that, but dried mushrooms pack a punch when it comes to makin' stuff taste good. I always add 'em to soups and stuff."

"Is that so... Must be a good source of umami then." She nodded to the door. "Shall we?"

"Y-Yeah..."

Kanji realised suddenly what he had done. He had bought a Topsicle _to share_. With _Naoto_. _Oh gods..._

As he left she waited, smiling at him, no doubt wondering what he got her. With a gulp, he produced the package and silently unwrapped the ice cream. While he totally wanted to watch her reaction, he really couldn't. He simply took one of the sticks, held out the ice cream to her and swallowed hard.

"What- ...oh. Uhm." He felt her take the other stick... and waited.

Nothing happened.

He lifted his gaze shyly and glanced at her, finding that she, too, was hesitating.

"Kanji-kun... I have to admit. I have never done this..."

"Ah, right." They both held on to their respective sticks for a moment. "Uhm, you just kinda... pull, I think?"

"You are unsure yourself?"

"I ain’t never shared one with someone but... well, no. Just never shared one."

"Oh."

Another pause. Kanji wondered if they could figure it out before the Topsicles started to melt. _Stupid, really, how hard can it be to split one of these with someone else?_

And then he felt the tug, gently, but persistent. His eyes turned to the ice cream and he watched Naoto try to gently tug and twist the ice, but to no avail.

"I believe you need to ... twist them sideways. Like a KattyKid chocolate?"

"Uh... maybe?"

Gods, he was totally useless. This better not be a date after all. If this was their first date, it was a disaster. Maybe it was just a trial run. To warm up. Like, not really counting yet?

And that's when he felt Naoto very gently take his hand, closing her small, cool fingers slowly around his, helping him hold on to his own part of the Topsicle. Before he could ask what she was even doing, she gave his hand a twist just as she turned her own hand. The two parts of the treat came apart soundlessly, even though Kanji felt that was a total waste of occasion.

She, however, smiled pleased and let go of his hand. "Just as I thought," she said and gave her ice cream a lick. An expression of pleased surprise came over her face. "I... I remember this flavour."

"Yeah? Had 'em before then?" His own fingers clamped hard on the small stick. He felt the shiver inside of him and worried he'd drop his own ice cream any second if he wasn't careful.

"It would seem so..." Naoto hesitated, and then took a bite out of her treat. Kanji watched as the look on her face changed from confused to amazed to simply happy. "I cannot recall when or where... but I know I have had these before. And I remember it being a special treat."

He felt something dribble on his hand and hurriedly licked at his own ice cream. It was pretty warm for April and he wanted to have some of the ice cream before it all landed in a puddle on the ground.

He plopped himself on the curb stone and enjoyed a few long licks. Glancing to one side, he saw Naoto set down her school bag and sit beside him. "We shouldn't loiter," she mumbled around another bite.

"Na, no one here cares. 'Sides, Shiroku won't mind. She ain't never said nothing to me." He turned his head and looked down at her. "So, uh, ya like it? The Topsicle?"

"I had honestly not thought I would. I rarely 'treat myself', as they say, and I did not expect to enjoy ice cream so early in the year." Giving her cold treat a suck, she smiled once more at the flavour. "But this is really nice. Thank you, Kanji-kun, for inviting me."

"Y-Yeah, sure, man!"

They watched the town simply happen around them. People wandered along the street, a few bicycles went past. At one point, a car drove by slowly, making both of them watch it pass.

"This is surprisingly pleasant."

"Mhm? The Topsicle?"

"Yes, that as well." Naoto chuckled "But I did mean sitting here, people-watching. Generally, I _observe_ people. Try to find out what their motives are. Alternatively, I scout out a locale in case I need to give testimony later. I rarely simply sit and enjoy being part of a place, like now. And I believe I have never done so in a city."

"Well, town," Kanji mumbled, "but I get ya. I've always been here, so it ain't nothin' special to me." He pointed to one end of the street."Moel's been there all my life. Though Ma said they came after I was born, so I dunno. The bookstore moved in when I was a kid. Deidra has been around forever; as has o'lady Marukyu." He took a long lick around his Topsicle and stuck a thumb out behind him. "This place is old as dirt and she seems ta know Ma and my Pa pretty damn good."

"Indeed? What was their connection?"

He mumbled a muted, "Huh?" around his Topsicle-filled mouth.

"I meant to say, did you ever ask where they knew one another from?"

"Na. Never.. huh. Never really wondered till ya said that jus" now..."

"It possibly is not as important. I was merely curious."

There was a new moment of silence as the teens tended to their treats.

Softly, Naoto prompted, "What about these empty places?"

"Like, across?"

"Well, all around. I know some are being worked on to make them living spaces and even store fronts again. Do you know their history as well?"

"Na. Well. Some'o 'em." He pointed with his Topsicle to the other side of the road. "Over there was a flower shop. Ma used to like getting fresh flowers. Liked the real strong smelling ones in the shop. Said it made customers spend more time browsing." He pointed up the street towards his home. "That street is all but dead. Used to be flats, I think. I don't remember any stores besides the old pharmacy, but that’s closed now, too. Then there is the old toy store, o'course. Never was into models, so I never bothered. An', uh... Well, there are the stores across from my place. Those went empty pretty early. Used ta play there with Konishi, but he an' I grew too big ta fit."

"Fit?"

He turned his head and saw her lick the empty Topsicle stick carefully. Feeling a blush rise at her gesture, innocent as it was, he turned away again. "Y-Yeah. Like... uhm... We used to crawl past the boarded-up windows. Was kinda cool. Sometimes Yukiko-senpai would come and we'd just play in the house as if we lived there."

"Were your parents not worried?"

"Sure. Got yelled at if they found out. But we were kids. We still went back every time, right?"

"Well," she said, shifting the piece of wood from one side of her mouth to the other, "I am glad none of you were harmed."

They shared a glance and Kanji fought his blush down as much as he could before Naoto thankfully did that thing where she tucks down her cap and breaks eye contact. "So," she said, "that empty house. It it still uninhabited?"

"Recon so, why?"

"Show me." She stood and picked up her book bag. "I'd like to see more of Inaba through your eyes."

"Hell yeah, man, let's go!"

He held his hand out to offer taking her school bag, but Naoto smiled and shook her head at him. Proper as always, he thought, and shrugged. It woulda been kind of nice to carry her stuff for her, but this really wasn't a date and he couldn't be too disappointed at her. They had just started to pass Aiya, when a warm and somewhat surprised voice grabbed their attention.

"There you are, Kanji-chan."

Taking a breath to roar at anyone interrupting him in front of Naoto, Kanji shrunk back at once seeing his kindly smiling mother before him. "M-Ma!"

"You promised you'd take care of dinner tonight, and when you didn't come home, I decided to go fetch something from Aiya - but here you are. Ruining your appetite, I see," she added with a fond smile.

"Tatsumi-san," Naoto said, dropping into a quite formal bow, "please, I apologise, it was not my intention to keep Kanji-kun so late-"

"Oh, don't you worry, dear, it is not all that late, but sometimes Kanji likes to sew a bit before cooking, so I expected him home sooner. I also thought you still needed to do some shopping, dear,” she said, gazing at her son, before looking back at Naoto. “I did not realise he was out with a friend." She turned her attention to Kanji, who seemed to try hiding in his own hunched shoulders. "Why don't you invite your nice detective friend for dinner, Kanji-chan?"

"N-N-No, madam, I-!"

"Damniit, Ma, I-!"

Both teens were hushed with simply one raised hand for silence. "Please, Kanji, be a good host. And you, Naoto-kun, I know you live by yourself, I am sure a home-cooked dinner would not go amiss. My Kanji-chan is quite a chef, maybe he could teach you sometime."

"Oh gods, Ma," the tall boy whined.

Naoto seemed to muse quietly, and then nodded to the elder Tatsumi. "Very well. If Kanji-kun accepts. I know Konishi-kun has said good things about your skills as a chef. I would enjoy sampling some of it myself."

He just stood, stunned, as Naoto smiled up at him, her warm smile nearly mirroring the expression of his mother. _If I ever do get lucky enough to date 'er... Between her an' Ma, I'll be in so much trouble..._ "N-No. I"s, like, it's cool. You can stay and whatever. I'll..." Kanji hesitated, glanced at his mother, then ducked his head at Naoto. "Do you, like, have a favourite dish? We could go shopping and grab some stuff for it, if you like."

"Anything at all will be fine, provided you allow me to assist you in the kitchen. It is my intention to not let this chance go to waste, after all."

"Wonderful. Come along, boys," Kanji gave Naoto a small shrug, "I"m sure we have something in the fridge that just just waiting for skilled hands to turn it into a meal."

As they followed his mother, Kanji kept glancing at Naoto nervously. She seemed happy with the turn of events, if her smile up at him meant anything.

And if he was lucky, and tonight went well, and he and his Ma could impress Naoto... maybe, just maybe, he could invite her over more often for dinner. Show off his stuff.

Maybe even make a Christmas dinner this year.


End file.
